


Frostbite

by swallowthewhale



Series: Lemon Dreams [11]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 02:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11522850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swallowthewhale/pseuds/swallowthewhale
Summary: Caitlin is abducted by Killer Frost and Cisco has trouble facing down someone with his best friend's face.





	Frostbite

If Cisco hadn’t been woken up by the vibe, he probably would have been clued in by the thick layer of ice coating the Star Labs parking lot. He manages to slide his way inside, and is very relieved that the ice ends at the doors and none of his equipment is ruined.

The relief vanishes when he finds Caitlin’s purse and jacket still at her desk, her phone placed neatly next to her tablet. Caitlin never goes anywhere without her phone. Cisco used to tease her about her habit of taking it with her even to the bathroom, until she reminded him that you’re more likely to be abducted when you’re by yourself, say, on the way to the bathroom, than around other people. Cisco stopped making fun of her, and also made more of an effort to keep his phone with him. Just in case.

He brushes his fingers over the phone, closes his eyes, and watches, nauseous, as a blue-tinged Caitlin is forced at icicle-point out of the lab.

Cisco sits heavily, rests his head in his hands and tries to breathe deeply, before calling Iris.

Caitlin sits as primly as she can with shackles on, looking down her nose as Killer Frost hovers over her.

“What do you want?” Caitlin asks, keeping her face closed off.

Killer Frost smirks. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Caitlin rolls her eyes. “I wouldn’t ask if it was obvious. But whatever it is, you’re not going to get it.”

Frost sits down in the chair across from Caitlin. “All I want is your help.”

Caitlin frowns at her for a long moment. “Kidnapping me is not a great way to ask for a favor,” she says flatly. “My friends definitely aren’t going to see it as a cry for help.”

“You would have locked me up if I had just showed up.”

“Maybe we would have,” Caitlin says. “But that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t have listened.”

Frost stands just as a breach opens behind Caitlin. Cisco hops out just ahead of a red flash, which zips around the room before coming to a halt behind Frost.

Frost’s eyes glow electric blue and the temperature plummets.

“Get away from her,” Wally shouts.

“You don’t want to do this,” Frost hisses, turning to face Kid Flash.

Cisco flinches. “Caitlin?”

Both Caitlins turn to look at him.

“Cisco!” Caitlin yells.

Cisco can't tear his eyes from Frost, though, her jaw firms and she blasts shards of ice over Caitlin’s head. Wally unties Caitlin in a blur and brings her to the corner of the room.

“Wally, Caitlin, get out of here,” Cisco says brusquely.

Frost saunters towards him as Wally whisks Caitlin away. “What are you going to do to me, Vibe?”

Cisco stumbles backward. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

An icicle forms in her hand. “Big mistake.”

Cisco dives sideways at the last second to avoid her stab, and he lands awkwardly and goes down hard. He looks up at her, a boom shaking his hands, struggling to be let out. But all he can see is Caitlin in the way her hair falls over her face, the determined set of her mouth, the long limbs that are somehow awkward and graceful. And her eyes, amber now, and so familiar. The boom fizzles out. He meets her eyes. “Caitlin.”

“I’m not her,” Frost hisses. “Stop looking at me like I am.”

“I can help you,” Cisco says. He holds out his hand.

Cisco limps home through Earth 18, which has a light vibration that doesn’t jar his twisted knee as much as any other Earth. Iris is fussing over Wally, hovering as he eats a nutritional bar. They both look up as Cisco comes in.

Iris glares at him, hands on her hips. “What were you thinking?” she snaps. “How could you go up against Killer Frost alone?”

Cisco yanks his goggles off his face. “Iris, I’m fine. We’re just short-handed today. Harry and Jesse are on Earth 2.”

Iris’ face sets into a familiar expression. The mom-look, as Wally calls it. “And you couldn’t go get them? It’s not like you can’t Earth-hop or anything.”

He looks away and suddenly Iris’ shoulders drop.

“I’m sorry. I just - I can’t lose anyone else, okay?”

Cisco nods and hobbles over to squeeze her hand. “Where’s Caitlin?”

Wally grimaces. “She locked herself into the break room and told us to leave her alone.” He glances at Iris. “We figured you’d have an easier time getting her to come out than us.”

Cisco waves at them over his shoulder as he makes his way down the hall. He knocks first, and when he doesn’t get a response, he rattles the doorknob. It’s not actually locked, and he eases the door open slowly. Caitlin is curled up on the couch, wearing the yoga pants she keeps in her desk drawer and one of Cisco’s sweatshirts, her hair spread out over the pillow behind her.

Cisco closes the door behind him. “Hey, Caitlin.”

“I’m sorry,” she mutters into the cushion.

Cisco sits at her hip. “Excuse me, what are you apologizing for?”

She hugs herself tighter. “I should have been paying more attention. I shouldn’t have let her sneak up on me.”

He risks putting a hand on her wrist. “I really don’t blame you for not trying to fight someone who can turn you into a human popsicle in seconds.”

She turns to look at him. “She just wanted help.”

Cisco grips her wrist a little tighter. “I know.”

Caitlin blinks watery eyes at him. “Thank you for coming for me.”

He smiles. “Every time, Cait.”

She sits up and turns so he can lift his aching leg onto the coffee table and she can rest her cheek against his arm. “What happened?”

Cisco sighs. “I told her to come in tomorrow and I can make her a power dampener.”

“Why tomorrow?”

He shrugs. “I thought you might not want to be here when she came. Figured I’d give you enough of a heads up.”

“I want to be here,” Caitlin says firmly. “I guess I… I guess I want to know that it’s possible to not go evil if-”

“If you get powers?” Cisco asks gently.

She nods.

“You could never be evil, Caitlin, trust me.”

Caitlin relaxes. “I do trust you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let’s not question how Killer Frost got to Earth 1, okay?
> 
> For an anon on tumblr who asked for Caitlin being kidnapped by Killer Frost and Cisco struggling to fight someone with Caitlin's face. You can find me @swallowthewhale on tumblr!


End file.
